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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
It's really hard for me to read a book with characters that I dislike. I don't want to know more, I don't care what they do, or if they go jump off of a bridge. I just want it over with.
I had this type of reaction with this book which is hard for me because the writing was quite good. But oyyy... the characters. There is just no redeeming qualities at all. Maybe I've been reading too much YA where you can actually see some type of character growth or where even if the series if 5 books long you know change is going to happen. I didn't get that at all with this one. It kept me pushed away, as did the characters.
So I'm going to keep this short. I believe the plot was interesting although I hated the characters. I think it also wasn't a thriller. I was waiting for the anticipation to build and it does but more because I just hated the characters.
I love me a good villain any day. Give me some real raw bad guy or gal and I'll be in love with the book but I could not make myself even like these characters for the evilness that they wrought. Ugh...
So.. in short... I'll just say I did not enjoy this one. I am sure many, many people will love it but it was not my cup of tea.
Apparently I am a glutton for punishment because now I'm oddly very curious about his other works! Well done Herman Koch. You wrote a book I dislike and yet I'm still compelled to find out more about you. Well done indeed.
I had this type of reaction with this book which is hard for me because the writing was quite good. But oyyy... the characters. There is just no redeeming qualities at all. Maybe I've been reading too much YA where you can actually see some type of character growth or where even if the series if 5 books long you know change is going to happen. I didn't get that at all with this one. It kept me pushed away, as did the characters.
So I'm going to keep this short. I believe the plot was interesting although I hated the characters. I think it also wasn't a thriller. I was waiting for the anticipation to build and it does but more because I just hated the characters.
I love me a good villain any day. Give me some real raw bad guy or gal and I'll be in love with the book but I could not make myself even like these characters for the evilness that they wrought. Ugh...
So.. in short... I'll just say I did not enjoy this one. I am sure many, many people will love it but it was not my cup of tea.
Apparently I am a glutton for punishment because now I'm oddly very curious about his other works! Well done Herman Koch. You wrote a book I dislike and yet I'm still compelled to find out more about you. Well done indeed.
Deplorable. I don't mind a book where none of the characters are likable, but being stuck inside the head of a pompous, selfish, and morally defunct doctor for nearly 400 pages was too much. I didn't agree with his standard of practicing medicine, nor appreciated the vile thoughts while examining patients.
It was also frustrating being continually teased throughout the entire book - "when I look back, this is where everything changed" kind of language. But it seemed to happen every chapter, and then I finally stopped caring what this supposed event would be.
It was also frustrating being continually teased throughout the entire book - "when I look back, this is where everything changed" kind of language. But it seemed to happen every chapter, and then I finally stopped caring what this supposed event would be.
I didn't expect to like this book because I strongly disliked the dinner. I was pleasantly surprised.
Must better than expected. Shocking, impressive, in a way understandable.
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Episch openingshoofdstuk, heel erg fan van de schrijfstijl en mooie spanningsopbouw. Toch bleef ik een beetje op mijn honger zitten na de ontknoping, alsof de echte plot twist nog moest komen... Wel nieuwsgierig naar zijn andere werken nu!
I shuddered each time he described the examination of bodies; it was really excessively graphic. The unusual similes and metaphors were interesting in a good way, but the plot arc (not the actual events, but the development) was a bit flat.
This was a very disturbing book. I don't know whether to rate it 4 stars or 3 stars. I didn't love the book, so it's definitely not a 5 star read. At times I enjoyed the book, and at times I didn't. Most of the time I was just really disturbed by it.
At first I was really worried that Summer House with Swimming Pool was too similar to Herman Koch's other novel [b:The Dinner|15797938|The Dinner|Herman Koch|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1355949630s/15797938.jpg|6463092], but by the half-way point there aren't too many similarities. However, there are still a few. One similarity is that the whole book is about a certain event in the past, and the reader is told about everything leading up to said event in flashbacks. Slowly, as the novel progresses, you learn more about the event and the true horror of it. Another similarity is that this book is filled with unlikable characters. Certainly some are more likable than others, but as a whole, most of the characters are quite annoying, or just horrible people. The only characters I fully liked were Caroline, the MC's wife, and Lisa, their youngest daughter. I found that with most of the other characters I went from hating them, to liking them, to hating them again. All the major characters have really dubious morals, and since this book is written in first-person, the reader really gets to know the MC, Marc, really well.
Certain scenes in this book made my skin crawl. There were some really messed-up scenes, and certain things were implied that were very disturbing. The implications of the actions some characters made are really messed up. Really, the whole plot of this book is messed up. It's not a fast-paced book, but it's certainly gripping. There are so many mysteries I wanted to solve, that I always wanted to read the next chapter. I normally read often for short periods of time, so I had a bit of trouble getting into the book at the beginning, but once I sat down to read I was fully engrossed.
My main issue with this book is that I felt the ending was a bit rushed. Everything was explained in a few (short) chapters. I feel like the author could have cut out some filler from the book, and lengthened the ending.
I would recommend this book if you enjoyed the authors other novel, or if you enjoy slow-paced thrillers. This book isn't for everyone, but I couldn't put it down.
At first I was really worried that Summer House with Swimming Pool was too similar to Herman Koch's other novel [b:The Dinner|15797938|The Dinner|Herman Koch|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1355949630s/15797938.jpg|6463092], but by the half-way point there aren't too many similarities. However, there are still a few. One similarity is that the whole book is about a certain event in the past, and the reader is told about everything leading up to said event in flashbacks. Slowly, as the novel progresses, you learn more about the event and the true horror of it. Another similarity is that this book is filled with unlikable characters. Certainly some are more likable than others, but as a whole, most of the characters are quite annoying, or just horrible people. The only characters I fully liked were Caroline, the MC's wife, and Lisa, their youngest daughter. I found that with most of the other characters I went from hating them, to liking them, to hating them again. All the major characters have really dubious morals, and since this book is written in first-person, the reader really gets to know the MC, Marc, really well.
Certain scenes in this book made my skin crawl. There were some really messed-up scenes, and certain things were implied that were very disturbing. The implications of the actions some characters made are really messed up. Really, the whole plot of this book is messed up. It's not a fast-paced book, but it's certainly gripping. There are so many mysteries I wanted to solve, that I always wanted to read the next chapter. I normally read often for short periods of time, so I had a bit of trouble getting into the book at the beginning, but once I sat down to read I was fully engrossed.
My main issue with this book is that I felt the ending was a bit rushed. Everything was explained in a few (short) chapters. I feel like the author could have cut out some filler from the book, and lengthened the ending.
I would recommend this book if you enjoyed the authors other novel, or if you enjoy slow-paced thrillers. This book isn't for everyone, but I couldn't put it down.
This book is my favorite book of this year so far. The writing style was so gripping and drags you into the dark thoughts of a Family Physician called Marc and his family. Everyone should read this and now im hooked on Herman Koch! lol